Pakistani cricket rocked by new bribe allegations

Updated August 30, 2010 09:52:19

Four Pakistani cricketers have been questioned over allegations that they were involved in match fixing during the fourth test against England at Lords.

A middle man has been arrested after he was caught on camera accepting more than a quarter of a million dollars in return for giving precise details of when two of Pakistan's bowlers would deliver no balls. He was also filmed boasting about the large sums of money he made from the second test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney in January.


Presenter:Emma Alberici
Speakers: undercover recordings; cricket commentary

EMMA ALBERICI: Mazhar Majeed drives a shiny new Aston Martin and carries thousands of pounds tucked in to the lining of his coat. They were some of the images broadcast online by Britain's News of the World. But it's what was said when the reporter went undercover that was most shocking

REPORTER: First of all, on the third over, do you know which one?

MAZHAR MAJEED: That is going to be Amir. Amir is going to be bowled the first over.

EMMA ALBERICI: The 35-year-old property developer is explaining how he can ensure that certain Pakistani cricketers deliver no balls at very specific moments in the match. The footage was recorded in a hotel room on the eve of the fourth test between England and Pakistan at Lord's.

MAZHAR MAJEED: Then the tenth, the last ball, sixth ball of the tenth over. Last ball of the tenth over.

EMMA ALBERICI: A no ball is a delivery which doesn't count as one of the bowler's six legitimate balls in one over - the fielding team is penalised one run every time a no ball is bowled.

COMMENTATOR: A couple of biggish no balls actually. One from Amir. He was over that front line by a good half a foot or so.

EMMA ALBERICI: The cricket commentary team in London seemed confused by the recurrent no balls which happened to occur exactly as promised by Mazhar Majeed.

MAZHAR MAJEED: I'm telling you, big money can be made.

REPORTER: That is what I am here for. Why do you think I am sitting here for?

MAZHAR MAJEED: I am talking about ...

EMMA ALBERICI: Mazhar Majeed is now in custody. Arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers. Police from Scotland Yard visited a North London hotel where they interviewed four members of the Pakistan team and confiscated passports and mobile phones of the captain, Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif. The Pakistan skipper denied the newspaper's claims that he was the ringleader of the betting scam.

SALMAN BUTT: We have heard those allegations and anybody can stand out and say anything about you. It doesn't make them true.

EMMA ALBERICI: England claimed victory in the fourth test by an innings and 225 runs. It was Pakistan's biggest test defeat - bowled out for 147. Still, England captain Andrew Strauss found it hard to get excited by the win.

ANDREW STRAUSS: We are very happy to have won but we don't really feel that happy at the moment. You know, I think we all want to know that when we achieve something special that it has been done in the best possible circumstances in the right spirit.

EMMA ALBERICI: The News of the World also taped Mazhar Majeed telling the undercover reporter that he'd helped the Pakistani team cheat in Sydney in January during the second test against Australia. He provided details of how that test was rigged and how gamblers pocketed $1.4 million from it.